Vegas groove

Things are moving along here in Vegas.  I started my new job on 10 June which was almost a month later than when I was suppose to.  There was a big hick up and I was told there was a 50% chance that I wouldn't have a job but things moved forward and I was able to start!  

Most of work is focused on computer based training and shadowing others for now.  I won't be able to start seeing patients until I complete training in Walter Reed where I'm suppose to go in a couple of weeks.  I've been waiting on my contract company to approve the travel so I can get tickets for everything.  I hate waiting on other people, I hope it all goes smoothly!  So far it seems that I will be working with a good group of people.  It's a different type of work, being incorporated into primary care but the hope is to mitigate problems before they escalate to the level of needing specialty mental health.
We're moved into our condo and it's a nice place.  It's a quiet area, decent pool, and away from all the Vegas madness.  Still getting use to the heat.  It's amazing how draining it is.  The temps were in the 80's so we forced ourselves to go out and about the other weekend.  It's funny that we are seeing 80 degree weather as "cooling down" but after it being 100 and above it felt so nice!

Before I got this job, we had Alaska vacation plans with Joe's nephew and his friend.  When I accepted the job it was cleared that I would have a week off without pay due to these plans that were already made.  We had a great time in Alaska doing tourist stuff although it was the hottest week ever in Alaska while we were there!  They were also battling multiple forest fires.  They tend to let the fires do what they need to but it's still sad to see all that is being burned.
We did some major Alaska "must do's": fishing, bear viewing, saw moose, bald eagles, and flew over a glacier!  It was amazing to be back soon after moving away.  It was so laid back and relaxing compared to the traffic business of Vegas.  It was a wonderful vacation!

Now that we are back in Vegas we have to get our Vegas groove on.  We are going to focus on exercising, eating right, and get back to saving money! 

New job....eventually

new backyard, Red Rock

Life is crazy and if you don't fight where it wants to take you, it's not AS stressful.  A lot of BIG changes since last post.  I am now a LCSW as of February.  It happened quicker than what I projected because yours truly is not a math wiz and I was counting hours separately vs combined.  So TA DA here we are!  With that happening about the same time a lot of changes were happening in my work section.  My bad ass supervisor was scheduled to PCS in July and then our director got a job at the VA in Vegas and would be leaving around the same time.  Our awesome team was breaking up, which unfortunately happens and it happens more often in military type settings.  

Joe and I decided to enjoy one more summer in Alaska and then move out before winter.  Knowing how long government jobs will take to get hired onto, I decided to start job hunting and applying to government jobs (doesn't matter what state I'm licensed in).  I had already planned on flying Tux down to Vegas to be adopted by my brother due to all the traveling Joe and I were planning on taking.

A month or so prior to the Tux drop off trip, I get a call back from a contract company about a job at Nellis AFB, NV.  First off, Joe and I wanted to move to Vegas when we left Florida so we were focusing on the Vegas area due to other benefits that line up with our future goals.

This contract company moved fast!  I talked with the Capt I'd be working for and everything was lining up and they wanted me for the position but they needed me sooner than later.  So we discussed it and figured "why not".  When I dropped off Tux I told Chris and Anna we'd be neighbors and I'll cat sit whenever they need :). I got back to work, worked a week, out processed and we hit the road!

Our road trip to Vegas

All of our stuff fit in this trailer AND we had plenty of room for other stuff....*psst* we think we have too much stuff!

We saw so much beauty and animals this time, spent a couple of days with fam in Utah, and then onto Vegas.  We found a furnished condo to move in on 1 June and I had a start date of 20 May so we have been in an extended stay.  We got settled, did some touristy stuff, and them bam....got hit with some speed bumps.

Major speed bump....Nellis AFB is giving some push back on credentialing me as a provider, even though I'm an LCSW.  My start date is now up in the air, hell the job that I moved down here for is up in the air!  I was told by the contract company that there is a 50% chance of me NOT having a job. I do not gamble!!!!  If this does NOT go through I probably will NEVER work with a contract company again.  I understand that it is not the contract company that is causing problems but they need to have some better checks and balances to avoid having someone move across the U.S. for a job.  I should hear something this week about where we stand with this job.

Until then, I am getting all my paperwork ready to submit for a Nevada license.  There are a good amount of LCSW jobs in the area but I need that NV license so here we go, and of course all of that cost a stupid amount of money :(

We've had some smaller speed bumps that have popped up which make the big one even more frustrating.  This morning we found out that our condo, which we were hoping to move in on 31 May, won't be open for us to move in until 1 June so we need to find a place to sleep for one night now.  I am hoping I can just extend one night to where we are at currently.

Since we are staying in an extended stay I am utilizing the library for their wi-fi and printing services.  I went to one that was farther away the first time and I figured I'd go to the one closer today....interesting.  I am sitting at a table and there is a homeless lady next to me and she's been munching on chips, checking out cooking books, and having some low key conversations with herself.  Not bothering me at all. What IS bothering me is the elderly, decently dressed man at the next table over who appears to be staring at me and licking his lips on the regular basis.  HE is giving me more of the creeps than the homeless that are chilling in the library!  

I CANNOT wait to have my own space, a kitchen to cook in, my own printer, and a peaceful place to reset when needed. I need some sort of focus, routine, and get back to some more healthy ways.  Yes I can do all that living in a damn hotel but it will be a lot easier in our space.

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming...

New job, updated animal sitings, random outings

Two weeks down at a new job and so far I am feeling that this has been a good employment move for me.  The morale/vibe of the place is good and the pace not a regular crisis mode.  I got an office with a view which was a nice surprise.  I'm redoing my name tag.  I'm not sure why some things are difficult to make neat but it is what it is.  

My view :) I LOVE all the natural light I'm getting right now.

I'm fixing this to make it neater, sorry Army NCO this just isn't cutting it for me!

This coming week I'll take over the anger management group and then hopefully have my schedule updated in the system so I can start being scheduled with individuals.  Things are moving at a steady forward pace which as been a nice change from the last job.

After my first work week, we took Stevie to Seward for the Mermaid festival.  We were both fighting a head cold but we decided that since we had Stevie, she is warm and we can be comfortable, that we'd still make a go of it.  I'm glad we did.  It was rainy and overcast the whole time but it was a nice get away.  Relaxing and beautiful.  We stayed right on the water!  We saw bald eagles and some sea lions playing in the water while we had our morning coffee.  

Our view from our camping spot once we pulled in to Seward AK

rainy weather doesn't stop the annual Mermaid Festival in Seward!

The Mermaid Festival was a small venue but it was good, local vendors and some local music!  Since we were both under the weather we brought soup for our dinners ;) With me working it was up to Joe to gather most of the things for Stevie.  When I got off of work I asked if he had certain things, packed up my clothing etc, and we were off.  I found out once we got there and it was time for dinner that Joe does not get to pack up kitchen stuff anymore.  We were missing some key items, like more than one spoon!  As usual we adapted and had a good time.

He forgot the spoons, he got the cooking spoon!

We are currently finishing up a three day Memorial Day weekend.  We kept it low key but decided to drive up to Talkeetna to check out the town.  We went past it on the train in the winter and thought it looked cute and fun.  We were right!  It's a small town and touristy.  The place was busy and everyone was walking around, it takes about 10 minutes to walk the town!  The cruise ships have started coming to Alaska and some of them dock in Whittier.  There was a group of older ladies that were visiting from Albany NY and took the train to Talkeetna.  They were having a good time and one of them was getting ready to sign up for a helicopter ride around Denali!  It was a relaxing sunny day.

on the banks of the Susitna River... background is Denali!

air strip.... they are every where here in Alaska!

On the way home we stopped at Lynne Lake because a friend of ours was helping his folks clear out some lake front land.  It turned into an impromptu canoe ride which we did not complain about!  Joe went back the next day to help clear some more land while I went on a little hike with a friend.  

Random canoe ride!

Have I mentioned how beautiful it is around here!

It is so beautiful here, it's so hard to capture in pictures but we try.  The nature here is amazing.  A few days last week I would pass by a moose with her two calves.  Today we were driving home and there was a moose having her dinner on the side of the road!  So far we have not seen or come across any bear but we have our bear spray that we take with us when we are out and about ;)  At the end of this blog I added our animal siting updates....it's fun but we are getting to the "lost count" range with some of them.

When we are not out and about we enjoy our lazy time at home with Tux the Judger.  We have a wonderful bay window that looks out towards the mountains so we always have a great view, once we look over the roof tops!

Animal sitings update:

Buffalo: a big herd

Caribou: 9 alive and 1 carcass
Deer: 5

Dall Sheep: lost count

Rabbit: 1

Prairie Dog: 1

Tundra Swan: lost count
Moose: lost count
Bald Eagle: lost count
Porcupine: 1
Sea Lions: 4

Unemployed in Alaska

at our camp site in Homer AK

Yep, we are still unemployed but I got a firm job offer yesterday and may be starting my new job 14 May, so that has taken some stress off.  Joe is still looking and has applied for some government jobs of his own but is in no real rush due to starting his last two classes for his bachelor's degree.  He is using his post 9/11 GI Bill, so he's getting paid a decent amount of money to take classes :). As Joe said a month ago...we will be fine!

Chris, Grandpa, and me

Things have a way of working out when you don't fight them. After I submitted my 2 weeks and was on leave, my Grandmother in Missouri took a turn for the worse.  She was in her 90's so it wasn't a big surprise.  Everything happened quickly and within a matter of days I was flying out to support my Dad during the funeral.  I got to see a lot of family I have not seen in awhile in addition to my brother.  If I was still working, it would have been stressful for me taking the time off and navigating all of that.  So I'm grateful that I could just do my thing and fly out with no additional stress.  I got to visit with Grandpa.  He suffers from Alzheimer's but he's happy.  With Grandmother gone, she was slightly controlling, he gets to watch westerns all day :)

Off to Homer AK

Stevie

When I returned, Joe and I took our new family member to Homer AK.  Stevie is a 97' Fleetwood Sport Jamboree.  She is are trial run for living small :P and a way for us to get out and explore more of AK without worrying about hotels etc.  Homer hadn't woken up yet, so it was more of the sleepy fishing town while we were there.  We boondocked on the spit and practically none of the stores and restaurants were open yet.  I guess the magic open time is in May.  We spend 2 nights there.  One thing that Homer is known for is the bald eagles.  There wasn't as many as pictures show, it's probably a season thing too, but we saw enough!  They are amazing birds!  The size of them and to see them just flying around...we were constantly in awe!

boat docks at the Homer spit

We had a decent walk about in Homer, walking 8.8 miles one day!  Joe and I usually end up doing a lot of walking.  It's a great way to see things and take up time when you got nothing going on, which is usually the case when you're camping.  

all to our selves!

Stevie is great!  The heater is awesome!  We had some things things that brought up questions but we either figured them out on the road or just adapted until getting home.  Joe has a friend that rents RVs here in Anchorage and he cleared up some of our questions.  We did good for our first packing for a trip too.  We under packed kitchen stuff but over packed clothing LOL. It's a learning process but we are good and going with what we got, working together to solve problems.  The only thing we didn't try out was the shower.  

a must have for AK traveling!!!

We may be taking another short weekend trip next month.  We will see how things go.  Stevie needs a good washing, outside and in before our next adventure.  

down time while camping

My goal is to do quicker blog updates... there is so much to say and share when we go on our trips and even life here in AK.  We tend to have a lot of relaxing time while we camp so there is no reason not to do an update ;)

Sliding into 2018 with sunshine and ice

Work is starting to pick up.  I have a schedule and am building a client load.  Slowly but surely things are moving forward at work.  I had a ego boost the other day...a client did an intake with another therapist and he called back requesting someone else due to she reminding him of his mom.  This therapist was worried I also would remind him of his mom because we look a like but we met and there was more too it and he will be staying with me for therapy.  Little silent victories that show me I am decent at my job.  As a therapist it is so important not to make snap judgments.  If you think about one's self, I am complex and things are never as straightforward as I may express...so why would I think a client in front of me is as simple in regards to their struggles?!  We are human beings and we do judge others, even therapist, but as a therapist part of our education is acknowledging what comes up for us but then letting it go so we may be open for our clients.  We can't help others if we are constrained by our own judgments and thoughts.

I have found that when I have a morning meditation it is helpful for me to be more present throughout the day. I go for days when I spend 10min a morning in a practice but things get hectic or I choose sleep over getting up in time to add that to my morning.  So I bought some journals to help me write stuff down.  Since receiving "The Sunrise Manifesto" I've been using it daily in the morning, at most it takes 5 and if I want to write more maybe 10 minutes out of my morning.  So the time is the same but with this journal I feel more productive in that action.  Every day is just 2 pages.  There are specific questions or comments to address on one page and the other page is for you to brain dump!  So far I'm loving it and am noticing the difference in my day to day.  The 10 minutes of guided meditation is good also, but this appears to be easier to maintain and keep doing!
We've been getting out and about on the weekends, mostly.  This past weekend we checked out the Anchorage Museum and it was awesome.  All the information about the native tribes was overwhelming!  They also had some fun exhibits for us to play around with so it was a good time getting out in the limited day light we have.

We bought tickets to go North to Fairbanks via the train!  We are exited about this!  Seeing more of AK and hopefully the Northern Lights while we are there!  More to come on that adventure.

Patience and Cider

It's Saturday morning, I am slightly dehydrated from a bottle of wine last night sucking out my moisture but I sit here with my coffee with a splash of yummy salted Carmel Kailua.  I look out in front of me to the sun creepy over the snow covered mountains and I am happy!  This sun loving, gotta be by the beach girl is happy in Alaska!  Before moving here our friend Adam told Joe that Alaska will steal your heart!  He spoke a hard truth and we are grateful to have this experience.

We have begun to live with the belief that we must not fight life, we need to be open to it, embrace the moment, and not force something that is not working.  Neither one of us ever thought we'd be living in Alaska, let alone loving and embracing Alaska and all that she has to offer!

My work hasn't changed much but I am working on myself in that regard.  Instead of focusing on my frustrations and irritations I just do what I can, learn what I can, and be open to what I can do.  I've talked to some head people and they are aware of my frustrations and that I am eager to be engaged so that is all I can do.  Apparently I have started work here in an stage of change so roles and responsibilities are being clarified and tweaked.  it's a government job so nothing moves forward in a fast manner so I am choosing to embrace the situation and have patience.  I have no control over others or the process just myself.  That is something we try to instill in our clients as therapist but sometimes we get caught up in life and forget that truth ourselves.



Last weekend I had the blessing of volunteering at Survivor's Day.  It's a day, that is set aside nationally, for those people that have lost someone due to suicide.  It's was a touching day with movies, actives for remembrance, and of sharing of grief and strength.  This was their 4 year of doing it here in Anchorage, I believe, and when it started there were more volunteers than participants.  This year it has grown and there was a good amount of people.  It's good that the word is getting out, it's not strongly advertised, but sad at the same time.  The high schools here have had a hard year of students dying by suicide which was heart braking to hear about, and frustration to here that people don't want to talk about in the schools or take any preventive measures.  It does seem like with this year of loss, the the students themselves are making a change and there is also some change from the higher ups to address it.  So although the loss has been great, there are finally some action to help the kids.




This past Monday we had a fun night of cider and chocolate pairing at the local cidery.  They worked with a local chocolate shop and it was amazing!  9 ciders and 9 truffles!  I was a happy girl!  The hardest part was waiting while they set out the ciders and chocolates!  
Last night we had dinner with our other neighbors, a newlywed couple from Colorado.  We had an evening of finger food, good drinks, and good conversations!  Our condo is small, only four units and one is an air&b so it's awesome to me that we've made friends and broke bread with our neighbors.  





We have been here in Alaska for 2 months! We have done and experienced more than what we had in Florida, and we've interacted more with our neighbors!  I can't believe it's only been 2 months! We are just getting started!

Week 4 completed at work

Not good with titles and when I started down to write about this past week...I had nothing.  Maybe it was because it was a regular week.  

I'm still learning stuff at work but also a lot of down time at work :(. Still no schedule but I am getting consults for people that cannot be booked! Not good!  I thought I had a plan B but that failed and now I'm on plan C....we will see how it works with this coming week!

This past Monday manning was strained due to people calling in sick.  So I was given the opportunity to step up and see some same day clients.  It was a good learning experience and I was able to get that OJT type of training, the training that works for me once I've watched others.  I ended up seeing 3 people and I felt things went rather smoothly.  The longest part of patient care is the documentation and it's doubly long for me due to not being familiar with all of the parts of the electronic records.  I'll get it though the more I use it!

One thing I DO NOT like is typing on the computer while talking to a patient.  I'd rather face them and hand write stuff to be inputted to the note later.  It feels impersonal for me to be talking to someone and typing while they are talking especially if they are emotional.  I am unable to see their facial, physical, little nuances if I'm looking at a computer screen.  I was speaking with a veteran and he got teary eyed and I was able to comment on that and bring more information out of him.  If I was focused on typing the the computer, that moment would have been lost.

Still working on my "grove".  With that Monday of stepping up I got a chip for 59 free minutes to use when I want...leave early, long lunch etc., so that is cool!

It was a short week with Friday being a holiday so that is nice!  Thursday we checked out the local cidery and I really enjoyed being able to try different types of ciders!  

I just clarified with Joe that we've been here almost two months but it feels longer.  Since living here I have only seen 3 moose! Joe has seen more :( and he also saw a wolf on base!  The days are getting shorter daily but I've been consistent with my vitamin D supplement and using my happy light.  The gym usage..... ugh, it's ugly and I still haven't made it back.  I need to play with the days that I go.  I don't do well trying to go during the week.  I can make it during the beginning of the week but by Wednesday on my motivation and energy to go is close to nonexistent.  SO today, which is Saturday, I am going to attempt....NO I will go to the gym while Joe does some school work.  Joe is plugging along with his degree and had a driving test with UPS on Friday, which he passed, for some seasonal work.  He's been keeping himself busy with school work, job hunting, and networking.  Joe is the extrovert between the two of us and he needs more social interaction that I do but he helps me get out more.  

Last night we had food and drinks with our neighbors.  First off it's awesome to just throw my slippers on and walk over for a hang out!  We had a wonderful time munching on good food, drinks, and conversations.  Prior to going over there I was in a mood but I had some alone time, did my own thing, and by the time we came home I was doing well and today I'm feeling good (thus a good time to hit the gym right?!). 

I find that when I am able to focus on things outside of myself  my moods are not as intense and debilitating.  Being in a depressed bitchy mood for a majority of the day yesterday was switched by focusing on Joe, getting out, and then having dinner with friends.  Now if I spent yesterday focusing on my thoughts, feeding them, over thinking things, and never turning my focus outward I will place money on the table that I would still be in that mood, if not worse, today.  

Being active in our own life allows us to be in more control.  When making an active decision to think a certain way, view something, not do something.... THAT is what is in our control.  We cannot control people or things or anything in life other than our selves.  Once we harness that, life is less stressful and it is more enjoyable!

Work time

Week 1 of work done.  It's a struggle for me being the "new person" at work.  I like the challenge and the new environment but it's exhausting because I tend to put really high expectations on myself.  This past week was mostly new employee orientation.  Working a federal job comes with different nuances compared to a non-fed job.  For me it wasn't all that different due to spending a majority of my work life in the military but I can see how overwhelming it can be for someone that has not worked in a federal environment.
It was a small group of new employees so that made it more comfortable and not as overwhelming since we could talk and bounce things off one another.  I have a beautiful view of the mountains from the hospital and I have my own office that I need to make cozy for my clients.  It's going to be a process but it will be nice to have that stability and personal touch when doing therapy.

One thing I have realized from my past job and now this one...not a whole lot of orientation.  You get a drive by set of basic stuff and then you're off to the races.  Coming here to Anchorage I did not realize that Alaska has the highest, or one of the highest percentages of veterans, so it seems as if the is VA has a lot more veterans working at it than other VAs.  The majority of people that I have met, coworkers, have either served or are married to a military member.  


My goals of working out didn't go too well this past week :(. I made it only two times to the gym out of my goal of 5 times.  BUT I did do a decent job at tracking my food, sticking to reasonable portions and not eating out a lot this week!  According to my food tracking I only went over my calorie intake ONE day!  That's a win for me!  I'll need to figure something out for this coming week,  more of a balance of working out at the gym and downtime at home.  I may be an ever other day gym person....

Last night we went to The Rocky Horror Picture Show!  Fun time but today I'm moving slow.... my recovery time after drinking is not as good as it use to be :(. We were all surprised that not as many people dressed up!  I expected more costumes but a majority of people were not dressed up. It was like us four and maybe another group of about 5 people!